Monthly Archives: July 2017

Ponce City Market on the Beltline in Atlanta on August 5, 2016. Photo by Rebecca Breyer

Ponce City Market has announced that doggie daycare company Barking Hound Village will be offering a new service to PCM shoppers: a dog valet.

“Easily transition from exercise to shopping at Ponce City Market with a new pet valet service and location operated by Barking Hound Village coming early August,” PCM announced via Facebook. “Drop your pup off in a safe, comfortable environment just off the BeltLine entrance, complete with a pet boutique, state of the art dog suites, optional grooming service, and King of Pups frozen treats.”

Two weeks ago, the city removed 1,000 feet from a new 1-mile protected bike lane along Westview Drive. Now, just before that section, a sign alerts users to move from the bike lane to the street.STEPHANNIE STOKES / WABE

Zahra Alabanza looks at the section of Westview Drive, in front of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, where the bike lane used to be.

“It was a typical bike lane,” she said. “It was protected so it had barriers between it and traffic, which tends to make people feel safe.”

As a resident of the neighborhood and co-founder of the black cycling collective Red Bike and Green, Alabanza’s been thinking about what led the bike lane to be taken out. Tension started a year ago when the city installed the lane using a grant from the outdoor retailer REI and the nonprofit PeopleForBikes.

“The main problem is that the church didn’t get any type of community engagement for the bike lanes,” Jonathan Whitfield said.

Whitfield, a minister at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, said the bike lane made parking difficult for churchgoers. And there was something else about it that bothered the church and the community.

“Most people feel like these bikes lanes are not for the people here,” he said. “It’s for the people to come.”

With the trail connecting to the BeltLine, he said, it became a symbol of gentrification. Still, Whitfield said, the church wanted to find a solution that accommodated cyclists. And after a public meeting together, they did reach compromises.

First, the city took out a few barriers to allow easier turns into the church lot. Later, the Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance that sanctioned parking in the bike lane on Sundays.

But then two weeks ago, without public notice, the city went a step further.

“A community resident sent us a picture of the bike lane being removed,” said Rebecca Serna, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.

Getting rid of bike infrastructure in that way should require a City Council vote and, before that, a public hearing, Serna said. The fact that the city didn’t follow its own process, she said, “sends a message that bike lanes aren’t important.”

So, now, a lot of people are left asking, how could this all have happened?

Standing along Westview Drive, what Alabanza sees is a lack of discussion from the city. She said it should be talking about the underlying issues – displacement, the benefits of biking and the area’s future.

“Atlanta has an opportunity to broaden conversation and come up with real solutions,” she said. “Taking out a bike lane is not solving anything.”

In a statement, the city said it is “committed to making our streets safe and accessible for all users” and is exploring other options after the uproar over the bike lane’s removal.

For now, though, the 1,000-foot section of the bike lane in front of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church has been replaced by a few newly painted on-street parking spaces.

According to the report, Beltline officials reduced the amount of money spent on affordable housing and sought accounting changes to make its affordable housing goals more attainable. ABI was tasked with building 5,600 affordable homes. So far, it has only created 785, including 200 currently under construction, the report says.

Gravel is the urban planner who initially proposed the concept of the Beltline. Smith is the founder of the Partnership for Southern Equity, an Atlanta nonprofit working towards balanced growth and shared prosperity in the American South.

Reed and Morris did not respond when asked to comment on the report. The Beltline did send out a press release today announcing a new partnership with the Atlanta Housing Authority “to advance affordable housing goals.” The agreement represents a $45 million investment in affordable housing between both agencies, the press release says.

“Affordable housing is a team effort,” Morris said in the press release about the agreement. “Partners like the Atlanta Housing Authority help us ensure that affordability continues to be at the forefront of the Atlanta BeltLine so that everyone has the opportunity to call Atlanta their home.”

There’s nothing like waking up to the news your good friend of the last half-decade might be losing their job just for being who they are.

A friend who holds an above-Top Secret level security clearance, and has served honorably for over a decade in the United States Navy.

Someone that didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, it was for something that was once encouraged and applauded.

My friend, we’ll call her “Ketchum,” has a wife and kids. She takes her job seriously. She’s a high-security “spook” job spying on our nation’s enemies aboard Naval vessels. She’s been around the world in the Navy and as the child of world travelers before that. She enjoys fashion and all things geek, always ready to talk about new dresses and shoes, as well as the latest Marvel cinematic blockbuster.

She’s also transgendered, something I didn’t know when we served together years ago. When the military adopted a policy of allowing trans service members to join and serve openly, and supported it with surgery, medical therapy, treatment, and a transition plan how all of that will work, she decided to come out to the Navy and her close friends.

I’ve read her posts on social media talking about the struggles of medication and growing breasts while still a “man” during the work day. Being looked at side-eyed in the deep South near her current base. But still, she persisted to become the real her. The excitement she has discovering new dresses to wear and different make up styles to use is adorable as she squees with each new discovery of herself.

My friend has no idea what her future is. Many are hemming and hawing about how that’s no guarantee those already in the military will be treated going forward. Maybe it’s just blocking future transgender troops for the time being.

And others say well, anyway, the military shouldn’t be paying for transgender medical issues. Or they say they’re “mentally unstable! How are they even battle-ready if they can’t figure out their genitalia? Those in transition aren’t deployable to ships or combat zones because of their issues!”

I did 20 years in the Navy. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen people get elective breast augmentation and “nose jobs” on the taxpayer’s dime to keep reserve Navy plastic surgeons “in practice” when there wasn’t a war going on (they’re ostensibly there to provide cosmetic and similar surgeries for the war wounded). I’ve seen every prescription known to man prescribed to service members for their various ailments, including Viagra. Last time I checked, boners and big boobs weren’t mission essential. It was all on the taxpayer’s dime.

I’ve also watched the broken, beaten and abused with no place to go come in and find a home. I watched them be shaped into war fighters and be given mental health treatment for their psychological issues and find a place where they belong.

Oh, and my friend? She just got approved for future sea duty today. For US Naval warships. There goes “non deployable.”

I’ve seen flag wavers rah-rahing that we need to give every veteran the help they needed, whatever it is. Whether you did four years, 20, or are still on active duty. The battle cry is they deserve it for their service and sacrifice. It’s a perk of serving.

Yet, they don’t come out in droves for these service members. Ones that were told by powers that be that, “It’s OK. We’ll figure it out. You be you. We have your back.”

That promise feels broken.

Maybe the plan in place was flawed. It needs to be worked on. But that’s the military way, implement a plan then fake it till you make it. Why is this different?

Maybe Trump made a rash statement to satisfy those in Congress who wanted transgender members of the military gone, or Mr. Trump doesn’t get his wall. Maybe it was because Secretary of Defense Mattis was on vacation. Maybe it was a distraction from the latest healthcare bill drama on the Hill.

It doesn’t matter. It was a slap in the face to those serving who are going through transition. It says “we lied.” It doesn’t matter which administration started it, it matters how you treat your service members willing to die for their country now. And they are being treated like garbage by their boss.

From left to right: Mitch Steele, Carey Falcone and Bob Powers taken on location at the future home of New Realm Brewery off of Atlanta’s Beltline. (Photo by Sara Hanna Photography and New Realm Brewery)

The construction of a new brew pub along the Beltline backed by Mitch Steele, formerly of Stone Brewing in Escondido, Calif., is “hopping along” the company said.

Representatives for the company said New Realm Brewing should open this fall at 550 Somerset Terrace NE. Steel’s business partners are partners Carey Falcone and Bob Powers. The brew pub will be part of a development called Common Ground. The company has engaged ai3 to design the project. The pub is described as an “industrial space” with a “color palette of rich earthy tones … highlighted by subtle pops of deep green.” The building will use construction materials that include reclaimed hickory, railroad timbers, raw steel and oil-rubbed bronze.

“Artistic touches such as hand-carved wooden hop art, rusted steel New Realm logo, stone Radagast heads, and more will blend into the design,” the press release from the company says.

There will be a main dining room, an interior bar, a lower level patio, an outdoor “Beltline beer garden” and a rooftop patio. There will also be private dining space on the lower level and a second level tasting area. The brew pub will be able to host special events like weddings.

“All told, the New Realm facility will seat a total of 400 guests, who will enjoy several views looking directly into the brewery overlooking New Realm’s 25hl, four vessel brewhouse and 50hl tank farm from Krones Steinecker, and Mitch Steele’s brewing team in action,” the press release says. “It is expected that the facility will be able to produce approximately 20,000 barrels at full production and will have the capability to keg, bottle and can.”

The contractor in charge of building it is Atlanta-based Choate Construction Company.

The Zero Mile Post marked the meeting of two railway lines and possibly the beginning of the city of Atlanta. Zero Mile is a series of sometimes fictionalized and sometimes real stories based on life in Atlanta, Georgia.

By Nicki Salcedo, contributor

Parents get grumbly around back-to-school time when the supply list is not posted. By goodness, there’s only a week to scavenge for Little Johnny’s needed supplies. Hurry. Run. The anticipation. The agony.

I’ve had all sorts of experiences over the years. I hate school shopping. I love the preassembled box of school supplies that I can purchase without having to enter a retail store. It’s delivered by magic, by stork, by all things holy straight to my kid’s school. Why can’t every school system do this?

One year during a dramatic thunderstorm, we were in the checkout line at Target. The cashier had rung up almost $400 worth of school supplies when the power went out. We stood in darkness, learned the actual reboot time of Target registers (it is a long time), and had to rescan every item in our cart. The universe was trying to warn us of something. Resistance is futile.

This year, I’m trying to be calm and prepared. I’ve compiled all four of my kids’ school supply lists into one giant spreadsheet for fun. One hundred and ninety-eight line items later I have my shopping list.

If your child is old enough to have their own phone, they’re old enough to do their own shopping for the school supply list. You can sit in the Target Starbucks, and they can do the dirty work. Have them flag you over when it’s time to check out.

Little Janie is more than smart enough to figure out the list. After all, she knows what a “folder with brads” means. She’s closer to the ground and will be using this crap all year. I say crap affectionately, as well as f*ck and sh*t. I f*cking love summer. I f*cking love back to school, but not school supply shopping.

It’s Elementary, Dear Ms. Watson.

Expo Dry Erase Markers. Crayola Crayons, Crayola Colored Pencils, Crayola Standard Markers (not neon). Do not deviate from the brand. I regularly buy Kroger brand cereal, but this is not a drill. Buy Crayola. The other brands don’t work and aren’t up to the industrial strength exerted by a kindergartener.

You don’t need the crayon box with the sharpener. Crayons are sharpened once, at purchase, then worn down to a stubby nub by day two of school. Crayons can continue to be used in this fashion including stripped of label and broken in half. I promise you the color composition has not changed. The crayons called Apricot and Dandelion will continue satisfy the artistic endeavors of your kid as they draw a picture of you with an extra-large head and a torso shape like a lower case “i.” Trust Crayola. Don’t fool with the other on crayon brands.

Ticonderoga pencils (12 pack). Pre-sharpened. The other brands don’t sharpen. At. All. Unlike crayons, the #2 pencils get sharpened regularly. I know you don’t believe this, because you’ve only seen your child writing with a broken lead and trying to peel back the wood with her fingernails, but trust me, these things can be sharpened. Keep a sharpener at home. One day a week, go to school and sharpen the pencils in the elementary school. You don’t even have to ask. Just walk into any class room and start sharpening. The teacher will look at you, shed a single tear, and go back to teaching.

Wide-ruled composition notebooks. This one is a bit controversial. Buy it, but don’t be upset at the end of the year when these notebooks only have 3 pages used out of 100. This year, I’m determined to repurpose the old ones. Jane won’t even notice that her writing notebook has two pages of math at the front of it. Tell her she it’s time she reduced her carbon footprint.

Glue Sticks. The teachers ask for two packs. The truth is that they really need 200 packs, but there isn’t room to store 4,000 glue sticks in every classroom. Buy the other 198 packs and drop them off at school 5 sticks per week when you go to sharpen pencils. (This is a math puzzle, but it works out.) I’ve seen a kid use an entire glue stick to attach a single googly eye to a piece of construction paper.

Clorox wipes. Tissues. Hand-sanitizer. Paper towels. Guess who gets to clean up vomit, pee, and wet sneezes? Your child’s lucky teacher. Every teacher is a part-time member of the custodial staff.

Band-aids. I once asked a teacher if the kids got scrapped enough to warrant 30 boxes of band-aids in a school year. The honest reply was, “Yes.” But what I saw in her eyes was, “We give the band-aids so they shut up and go back to work.” Noted. Adhesive bandages. Check.

Big Kids Don’t Cry

Graph paper also known as grid paper. Copy paper. Notebook paper. Binders. Spiral Notebooks. Plastic three-pronged folders also known as folders with brads. What the hell are brads?! He was the kid who didn’t graduate from my high school. Index cards. Post-It notes. These kids will be writing. There will be paper and paper holders and binders to bind papers. Oh, the papers they will tote.

Earbuds for tablets and laptops, but not the fancy ones. The $2 ones from the airplane are fine. Get the cheapest ones you can find. The ones where only the left side works. These will be lost or stolen at some point. Keep them safe and close, but don’t cry for me Argentina when they disappear. Buy a stylus to poke at the technology without grubby finger prints and germs on everything. See Clorox wipes.

De-f*cking-odorant. Buy this for home. Buy this for the backpack. Tell them to use it. No matter how smart you think your kids are, they stink to high heaven.

While you are torturing them with bodily changes, buy some sanitary napkins. Even if you have a son. Kids who carry around maxi-pads will think about teen sex differently. Tell them that you are not afraid to talk about deodorant, menstrual cycles, hormones, sex, and condoms. Tell them the less school work they do, the more you will talk about sex. Suddenly those composition notebooks with be filled with algebraic equations.

Colored Sharpies. This is on our list! What the hell? Why don’t you just ask them to carry a switchblade? I know this is for older kids, but by God, Sharpies are permanent.

Magic Erasers for the walls. White Erasers for math. Eraser tops. Red erasers. You know what paper needs? Erasing. Giant holes made by obsessive kids who don’t want to waste a new sheet of paper. If your kid needs to erase more that the width of their pinky finger, get a new sheet of paper. I once watched a kid erase an entire 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Which leads me to the optional items.

Optional That is Required.

Buy the stuff that you can. Sandwich bags, batteries, crickets for the classroom pet. Every kid and every family cannot do this. Do not complain. Some kids would love to go school shopping and get a new pack of pencils and cannot afford to do so. That’s right, kids your same neighborhood struggle financially. Even kids in middle class homes might not be able to afford to buy everything. If you can buy, do buy. Don’t put your name on anything except the earbud and stylus. Don’t make a big show it. Drop the supplies at Meet and Greet and run away.

At the Meet and Greet, greet your teacher with a beginning of the year gift. Gift cards to coffee shops will make your teacher smile. By teacher appreciation week, that same teacher will not appreciate your appreciation. By then, they hate your child and you. Do it now. During the honeymoon period. Do it often. Don’t wait for a special holiday to thank your teacher. Whisper in your teacher’s ear that you want to buy them whiskey, but cannot do so morally. Don’t wonder if your teacher drinks coffee. One, coffee shops have all manner of beverages and snack treats. Two, all teachers drink coffee.

I like gift cards to Target and Walmart, but a coffee gift card is a gift that can’t be spent on the class. Your teacher is a human no matter how many band-aids they dole out. Take a breath you are almost done.

The end of the supply list is like a hand reaching from the grave. In italics it reads, “Additional items may be requested by teacher at the Meet and Greet.” Add one more item to the list. For you. A flask. For coffee, of course.

Nicki Salcedo knows the loops and the back roads of Atlanta. She is a novelist, blogger and working mom. Zero Mile stories appear on the Atlanta Loop on Wednesdays.

Over the next eight weeks city employees will be examining recycling bins in Ansley Park, Collier Heights, Grant Park and the West End to ensure they do not contain non-recyclable materials.

The city began its inspections on July 24. The inspections are a joint effort with the nonprofit The Recycling Partnership called “Feet on the Street.” The city wants to educate customers about what is and is not allowed in recycling bins.

“We’re focusing our pilot program on these four routes because although the residents in these communities actively recycle, their bins have high contamination rates,” Director of Waste Diversion and Outreach Michelle Wiseman said in a press release. “This program aims to resolve this issue by educating residents and as a result, should save taxpayer dollars.”

The teams will let residents know if their bins have prohibited items and these residents will be asked to correct it so the recycling can be collected the next week. The contamination will be noted using a smartphone app provided by Rubicon Global, an Atlanta company, and this information will be used in future education efforts, the city’s press release said.

Currently the city accepts the following items for recycling: Household paper, cardboard, unbroken glass bottles, aluminum cans and plastic containers in its single stream curbside recycling bins.

Materials that are not allowed are plastic bags, electronics, tanglers such as cords and hoses, polystyrene and building materials, the press release said. The plastic bags are the most persistent problem.

“Residents who wish to recycle plastic bags and other materials outside the accepted single stream curbside recycling bins are encouraged to drop off said materials at the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials or CHaRM located at 1110 Hill St, SE Atlanta, GA 30315,” the press release says. “While unbroken glass bottles are accepted in the single stream curbside recycling bin, other types of glass, including broken glass should be treated as a possible contaminant. The city recommends dropping off broken glass and other glass at the CHaRM Center to ensure proper sorting and recycling.”

State Sen. Vincent Fort, who is running to become the next mayor of Atlanta, says that Emory University’s petition to annex into Atlanta and its pursuit of a dedicated MARTA rail corridor will be unfair to black neighborhoods in the city.

Fort thinks a vote on the annexation petitions filed by Emory, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Power, Villa International, Synod of South Atlantic & Presbyterian Church (USA) Inc. and the Centers for Disease Control, should be delayed. A vote on these petitions is expected as early as Sept. 5.

“This needs to wait,” Fort said. “It doesn’t need to be rushed through. This is a lack of transparency that I’ve never quite seen before.”

Fort said there are other minority communities who need MARTA expansion, and they needed it before Emory began its push to join Atlanta,

“Not only is Emory jumping in line in the city of Atlanta, they’re jumping in line in front of a set of predominantly African American neighborhoods in DeKalb,” Fort said. “Emory is using its muscle.”

Atlanta Loop reached out to Emory University seeking comment and a spokesperson referred questions to the city of Atlanta. A spokesperson for the city of Atlanta said Fort is simply trying to drum up interest in his mayoral campaign.

“Sen. Vincent Fort is a failed candidate for mayor of the city of Atlanta,” the spokesperson said. “As his campaign spirals, he’s doing everything he can to remain relevant in the public conversation before he drops out of the race after failing to qualify. He has now gone to the length of fabricating falsehoods about the historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand MARTA within the city of Atlanta over the next 40 years.”